


Waking from the Nightmares

by SingingInTheRaiin



Category: Little Nightmares (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Little Nightmares II Spoilers, basically a fix it for the ending, trying to get into Six's headspace but it's tough when there's not much to work with lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:41:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29792757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SingingInTheRaiin/pseuds/SingingInTheRaiin
Summary: Six is able to put her bond with Mono into perspective, and she finally breaks the cycle that has trapped them all for so long.
Relationships: Mono & Six (Little Nightmares)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 120





	Waking from the Nightmares

Perhaps there had been a time, many years ago, where Six could still be easily surprised. But if there was, then it was too long ago to remember. She had been surviving in this world her entire life, and that was long enough to know how the world worked, and nearly everything was at least predictable in its wild unpredictability. And of course, there were a few key rules that Six had learned and understood as always being true. One of which was that the only way to survive was to look out for herself before anybody else.

Perhaps that made her selfish, but it wasn’t as though anyone else in this world cared about helping each other. She remembered hearing the whispers, on very rare occasions, of a world where everyone didn’t try to tear each other apart, where children were allowed to be safe and happy, where the word ‘family’ wasn’t limited to the times when a few particularly clever children teamed up to help each other survive. 

It’s not as though Six was completely heartless. She had suffered enough in her lifetime that she could sympathize with what others were going through. And she’d even been willing to help others in the past (she only had to glance down at her raincoat- somehow still bright yellow despite the mud and filth of this world- and she was reminded of someone she had been unable to save). 

This would all be so much easier, Six knew, if Mono weren’t so damn… good. It was hard to trust anyone in a world like this one, and Six had suffered betrayals in the past (in a time where she’d not yet been called Six). But no matter how much she wanted to keep her distance, insisting that she was only sticking with Mono because he was strong and could help get her safely through the city, Six knew the truth. She was starting to grow fond of the boy. 

And that was the most tragic thing of all, because Six already knew that none of this could possibly end well. It wasn’t just a gut feeling telling her that. From the first moment she’d laid eyes on Mono, distracted enough by him that the Hunter was able to capture her, Six had known that there was something off about the boy. Maybe because kindness shouldn’t still exist here, not for children like them. Or maybe it was because he was too similar to Six in ways that even he didn’t seem to understand yet. 

But most of her bad feelings about Mono came from her dreams. Or, well, they were more like nightmares, really. She dreamed of herself running around on a boat as big as a city, of a lady with an ugly mask, of an all-consuming power that would destroy the world if Mono was allowed to flourish. Of course she knew that they were just dreams, but Six couldn’t help worrying about them all the same. She had no obligations towards Mono, and in fact she sometimes felt as though she’d be safer going off on her own, but even still… 

Six was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice anyone approaching until a chunk of bread was tossed down on her lap. She looked up at Mono and berated herself for not being more on guard. Then she realized that his piece of bread was smaller than the one he’d just given her, and she felt a strange pang in her chest. How could this boy ever be the one to bring about the end of the world? Surely Six was just overthinking everything. 

She dug into her meal, finishing quickly, hungrier than she’d realized. It was only after she’d finished that she felt the slightest hint of guilt. Mono was the bigger of the two of them, and had been the one to scavenge the food, so he should have been the one to have the bigger piece. Though there was really no point in feeling guilty when he’d been the one foolish enough to divide the bread unevenly. 

They both sat there in silence for a few long moments before Six felt comfortable enough to say anything. It was still a strange experience, to speak out loud. She must’ve learned how to do it from someone, at some point, but until Mono, she’d had no one to practice speaking to. Sometimes she was afraid that once she opened her mouth, no sound would come out and she’d be left to choke on her words.

Mono was looking at her curiously, but Six wasn’t sure how to even begin summing up everything she’d just been thinking about. She wasn’t sure if she actually wanted to share any of those thoughts anyways. So she asked something completely different than what she’d been thinking- why did Mono wear that bag over his head like a mask? He was the first masked person she’d met who hadn’t tried to kill her. 

He was obviously uncomfortable with that line of questioning, though, and Six could certainly understand not wanting to speak about certain things. So she asked a different question instead. Namely, how did that paper bag stay so dry and sturdy even in the heavy rain? 

For a moment she thought that that had also bothered him to be asked, but then Mono suddenly let out a loud snort of laughter that startled Six so much she nearly lost her balance and toppled over onto her back. Laughter was scary, in Six’s experience- it tended to mean that the people who meant her harm thought they had the upper hand. But when it was Mono doing the laughing, somehow it didn’t seem quite so frightening. In fact, it almost felt… nice. It filled Six’s belly with a comfortable warmth that seemed somehow more satisfying than the food she’d just eaten. It was a strange phenomenon, and Six didn’t understand it at all. 

Perhaps she didn’t have to understand it, though. Maybe that was never the point of this at all. 

,,,

Now that it was over, it just felt like a vague dream. A dream of being safe, and perhaps even happy. She could still hear that song echoing in her head. In the dream it had brought her comfort, but she wasn’t sure why. Six didn’t even like that damn song. 

The dream had been shattered quite abruptly, though, and now she was awake again. If it weren’t for the way Mono kept looking at her, Six might actually believe that it had been only a dream. As they’d moved, Six had spotted a small alcove, and figured that they both needed just a moment to rest before they kept moving. She’d reached out to grab Mono’s hand, just as they’d reached out to each other a million times before, but Mono flinched away. It only lasted a second before he took her hand, but that second was more than long enough for Six to understand. 

Mono was afraid of her now. 

As soon as they were in the alcove, Six pulled her hand free, and then crammed herself into the far corner, keeping a careful eye on the entrance. It was obvious she didn’t want to talk. About as obvious as the fact that Mono did want to. But Six ignored his attempts to say anything. What was there to even say? 

To be fair, it’s not as though Mono had no reason to fear her. Even if it weren’t for that monstrous version of her that he’d faced off against, there were other reasons for him to be afraid. In fact, they were basically the same reasons that Six should be afraid of Mono. 

This world was very clearly divided into people with power and people who were powerless. And Six had known for a while now that Mono was more similar to her than he was different, even if it had taken him some time to figure it out for himself. 

Even if the two of them had power, they were still only children, which meant that there were limits to what they could do. Six was confident in her ability to survive on her own, and if she was away from Mono then she’d be safer. That man would no longer be after her, since his goal seemed to be to separate her from Mono anyways. And if she was gone, she wouldn’t have to deal with the way Mono was looking at her. 

There was a grumbling sound in the distance, quickly coming closer, and they both knew immediately that there would be no hiding from this enemy. They needed to make a run for it. Six brushed past Mono as he started to hold his hand out, and it sent a strange feeling through her chest as she remembered the first time that had happened. They’d been forced to work together then, at least long enough to escape, and then after taking down the Hunter, it would have felt strange to just part ways. Somehow that had led to them sticking together for all this time. Somehow that had led to Mono going through so much just to rescue her- regardless of whether it was his fault that she was in this mess or not, he could have just left her to her fate.

As they ran, Six had a small lead, since she’d rushed off past Mono so quickly. Her legs and lungs burned from the effort, but she knew that her life would be forfeit if she let herself stop or slow down for even a moment. It was strange, but she seemed to have some of her clearest moments of thinking while she was in the middle of running for her life. 

And what she was thinking now was this: Mono had risked a lot to save Six from her fate. So didn’t that mean it was only fair for Six to do the same for him? She could see what he would become someday. The kind, generous boy who was willing to help a complete stranger. Who gave her the bigger piece of the bread. Who’d managed to make her feel safe, and even got her to laugh once or twice. Surely he must despise his future self for being the opposite of all those things. 

She was so close to the exit- not that she knew how she’d get through it. It was Mono’s power that could travel through the screens, not hers. Then again, if she just borrowed a little bit of his power, which she knew she was capable of doing, then that should work, right?

As she was contemplating what to do, trying to think through all the possibilities as quickly as possible, she heard a cry for help. Six turned back and saw the bridge crumbling, and she could see that Mono could jump. Her legs started to move before she could even think about it, and she reached out to grab Mono’s hand like it was second nature. With the amount of times she’d caught him since they’d met, it basically was instinct.

She couldn’t pull him up, though. Not yet, not while she was still thinking. She took the opportunity to really look at his face for the first time. He looked like a normal boy, nothing like the monster he’d grow to become someday. That made it more difficult for her to make her choice.

He didn’t say anything out loud, but Six could see from the look in his eyes that he was wondering why she hadn’t pulled him up already.  _ Because _ , Six wanted to yell,  _ For once I’m trying not to be selfish! _ The Thin Man’s power- Mono’s power- was responsible for so much of the terribleness of this world. If Mono was stopped now, before he could get the chance to grow up, then wouldn’t that be saving everybody? 

It was so hard to think of something as lofty as morals and consequences. Even now, Six could feel a hollowness in the center of her body, her stomach growling too softly to be heard over all the other noise around them, but her hunger undeniable. And Six wasn’t a fool. She knew that it was because Mono had saved her, but hadn’t figured out how to reunite her with the piece that had been left behind when she’d been taken. 

For as long as she could remember, Six had been guided by her will to survive. Looking out for herself, and only herself, unless she absolutely needed someone else’s help was how she’d managed to make it this far. But being with Mono hadn’t felt like a chore, hadn’t felt like they were just exchanging talents to keep each other alive. It had felt like more than that. It had felt like something important, something with meaning, even if the rest of the world couldn’t care less about them. 

If there was a right answer here, then Six didn’t know how to reach it. All she knew was that the gruesome mass of flesh and eyes that was chasing them would be here soon, and Six’s arm was growing sore from holding Mono’s weight. And Six just knew that whatever choice she made here now, nothing would ever be the same after this.

,,,

Six tumbled out of the television with less finesse than she’d planned, stomach feeling hollow and pained from her hunger, and she was slower to get back to her feet than usual. She clutched at her stomach and tried to ignore the growls, then watched with wide eyes as her shadow seemed to spread out and then grow up into a mirror image of her. Though it was distorted and glitching, like its connection to this world was very fragile.

The shadow nodded towards a discarded poster on the floor, and Six cautiously approached it. She didn’t know what it said, having never learned to read, but she could see the picture of a large ship that sent waves of nostalgia crashing through her.

While she stared at the poster, there was the sound of someone else hitting the floor, and she glanced up at Mono. He wanted to know how she’d gotten through the television on her own, and why she’d rushed ahead so suddenly. 

Six wanted to point out her glitched remains, as if that would provide any answers, but when she turned to look, her missing piece had vanished. Six got the feeling it was still there, lurking in the shadows, waiting until it was needed. Or maybe until it was strong enough to move elsewhere.

Instead of focusing on that strangeness, Six settled for gesturing towards the poster so that Mono would come closer and look at it. He asked if she was sure about it, and Six just shrugged. Whether it was a trap or not, her glitch wanted her to go there, and Six couldn’t deny that she was intrigued to find out why.

Mono accepted that, and then slowly held out his hand. Six only hesitated for a moment before she took it, squeezing his hand tightly. Whatever they might discover on that nightmarish looking ship, they would find it together. And if a time ever came that Mono proved too dangerous and unreliable to be around, then Six would figure out how to take care of it then. For now, though, she took comfort from his hand holding hers, and they walked out of the room side by side, eager to reach their next destination, whatever secrets it may hold. 


End file.
